


Unseen Cutscenes

by enanowo



Category: Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Affectionate Bickering, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Daniel is a sweet boy, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Headcanon, I needed more wholesome interaction between them, Listen I just miss my wolf boys okay, Sean is best big bro, he just wants his bro to give himself a break, so this happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25445272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enanowo/pseuds/enanowo
Summary: Sean was struggling to fix a client’s car, having made no progress in the past couple of hours.Sensing his frustration, Daniel decided he’d had enough and forced his brother to take a break with him.Soon enough, the nostalgic tunes turned their repair shop into Dad’s garage back in Seattle.Dad used to have this on repeat all day. So they turned it into a Diaz tradition.Or:Unseen cutscenes of the brothers busting their moves to their comfort song.
Relationships: Daniel Diaz & Sean Diaz
Comments: 21
Kudos: 32





	1. Viva La Vida

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the Blood Brothers ending. The song the brothers dance to is this chapter’s title and plays in Esteban’s garage if you wait long enough.
> 
> You can find it here:  
> https://youtu.be/UxntMtkEqrA
> 
> Hit play when Daniel turns on the player. Hope you enjoy!:)

It was evening, the setting sun bathing their repair shop in a golden glow, when he sensed Sean’s uneasiness. His brother had been working on a client’s car for an eternity now and judging from the repetitive cursing, it wasn’t going well in the slightest. 

Determined to put a smile on Sean’s face again, Daniel walked up to their messy living room. In this case, calling it messy was an extreme understatement. It was his turn to clean it up. Well, it could wait. He had more pressing matters at hand. Plus, tidying wouldn’t take him long with his power anyway. Ignoring the massive war zone, he turned on the player and skipped to his favorite song, checking if it was at the highest volume. 

Sean looked up then, his frustration inked onto his face by all the grease and dirt. His brother must have rubbed his face in an attempt to keep himself focused, not realizing how dirty his hands had gotten. The area around his eyes had been spared, though. The longer he stared, the more Sean resembled a grumpy Panda, the frown only deepening as he couldn’t help but snicker. Sean didn’t comment on it and motioned to their player instead, wanting him to turn it off already. Then, to his dismay, his brother started to rant about how he had to fix this goddamn car in time, not to mention he couldn’t make any progress for the last couple of hours. He just couldn’t focus today and instead of taking a much needed break, Sean had chosen to beat himself up over it. Of course.

Fortunately, Daniel was having none of that. Gently, he used his powers to take the tools out of Sean’s hands, an invisible force giving his brother a slight push away from the car and towards himself. As soon as Sean was near enough to reach, he started poking his sides repeatedly, encouraging his brother to dance along already.

Sean, however, just stood there, fighting the urge with all his might. When hit with his irresistible pout and pleading eyes, his brother couldn’t do anything but give in. While Sean never admitted it, this tactic of his had been everyone’s ultimate weakness and Sean was certainly not immune to it. No matter how often his brother let him have his way. Alright, look, it was one of his most harmless superpowers. Wasn’t it only fair to put it to good use? Besides, no one ever complained. 

Finally accepting his defeat, Sean took the torturing hands in his own. He could see the tension leave his brother’s body almost immediately. Suddenly, it was as if they were back in Dad’s garage, dancing up and down to the nostalgic tunes. The memory left him with a warm buzz in his stomach. Hopefully, his brother felt it too. 

From that day on, Sean made sure to leave the song on repeat whenever he was around. "To make this unknown land feel more like home," his brother explained.

While it still hurt to think of their past, of what they once used to have and then had lost in such a brutal way, having these carefree moments together never failed to ease the pain. 

Sure, dancing to Dad’s favorite song was bittersweet. Yet Daniel didn’t mind. Because Sean’s rare but heartwarming smile made up for it. It always has. 

And always would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos! You can come scream at me (gently) about the brothers on twitter if you want. The name is the same as here. See you!


	2. The Source Of Your Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Go on, unwrap it."
> 
> "You go first!" was Daniel’s immediate reply. 
> 
> Sean nudged his leg. "Come on, bro. Older sibling privilege."
> 
> "No. You’re dumber than you look if you still think that’s going to work on me."
> 
> Sean gasped at that, backing away from him as if he’d just burned himself.
> 
> Or:  
> Unseen cutscenes of their gift hunting, an endearing misunderstanding and two heartfelt confessions.

Holidays were coming up in Puerto Lobos. The town’s festive atmosphere was a rare sight to see, but it wasn’t unwelcome to the brothers. Whatever sense of normality they got, they took it gladly, no matter how small that was. It reminded Daniel of Christmas and of the abandoned gifts in his grandparents’ room, along with his Captain Spirit drawing he’d made for Chris back then. All of that seemed so far away now. Sick of having regrets, he was determined to do better this time. Sean would argue that it wasn’t his fault.

If it wasn’t for his power, though.. He’d been having a hard time convincing himself lately. How could nothing be his fault when it all started with his outburst? Maybe Dad would still be...

"Snap out of it," he scolded himself. Now was not the time.

So the plan was the following: He was going to go up to Sean and ask him if he remembered _Mirror Erised_ from that _Harry Potter_ movie their dad had made them watch once. In the least suspicious way possible, of course. Then, he was going to ask his brother to draw what he’d see if he were to look into the mirror. To make it more believable, he was going to draw along and turn it into a competition. Since the mirror was supposed to show Harry what his heart desired most, he hoped to get some sort of clue out of Sean’s drawing.

Asking what his brother wanted directly wasn’t an option. Sean’s default answer had always been:  
"I don’t need anything else than what we have, enano. Is there something you wanted to buy? We can go out shopping if you want."

Sean could be really stubborn sometimes. Daniel was a Diaz, too, though. If he couldn’t make Sean spend something on himself for a change, then his brother better accept the gift he was going to get.

Figuring out what, however, turned out to be a bigger challenge than expected. Good thing he wasn’t one to shy away. He just hoped his plan would work out. 

He headed downstairs, colored pencils and paper sheets in hand. Spotting his brother within seconds, he made his way to the kitchen. Sean was too focused to notice as he rummaged through a drawer with one hand and held onto a wooden spoon with the other.

The constant rustling intensified Daniel’s curiosity. Leaving the drawing utensils on the table, he stepped next to his brother. 

"What are you doing?" he asked and caught the other off guard.

"Oh..! Err, I’m just— cooking."

Sean seemed nervous for some reason. Was it not going well? Taking a peek into the pot, his eyes widened dramatically.

"Is this what I think it is?" he screamed, unable to contain his excitement and seconds away from having given his brother a heart attack.

"Woah, calm down! And yeah, you guessed it. I’m cooking Dad’s recipe..or that’s what I was going for, at least," Sean muttered, glaring at the pot’s mushy content. "Stupid recipe, stupid rice, stupid soup, stupid pot, stu—" 

"Keep glaring at it and it might burn, bro."

That earned him a shove. Sean had a habit of thinking out loud. To his amusement, his brother wasn’t even aware of it.

Daniel was ready to execute the mission, but froze in his tracks upon seeing Sean’s expression.

Wait a second.

Was his brother pouting?

He really was.

The sight was so triggering, he couldn’t help it. The initial snort soon turned into uncontrollable giggling, much to Sean’s dismay.

"That’s it, I’m done! This is, like, my fourth try and it never gets the consistency I want. The recipe shouldn’t be this hard and yet I can’t get the hang out of it! Why can’t I get one thing right in my life? We’re out of spices and fresh herbs too! That’s just great. As if my poor cooking skills weren’t enough to mock me. I’m so sick that I suck at it and—" 

Sean had been so caught up in his self deprecating rant that he didn’t notice the pencils and papers floating around them. Finally having caught his brother’s attention, Daniel tried a more reassuring tone, "Sean, hey, it’s okay! We can try tomorrow. Together this time."

Sean’s shoulders visibly relaxed. Thank god. Dodging the wooden spoon had been challenging.

Eyeing the enemy in question, he teased, "It can’t go wrong with my help. Plus, I’ll take care of the stirring so you don’t end up hitting me in the face with that."

It worked. Sean wasn’t wearing his trademark frown anymore. That’s a good start, he thought hopefully. 

"It was supposed to be a surprise," Sean admitted, a slight whine evident in his voice. "Now I have to think of something else to give you. I was so confident about it, you know? I was so sure it’d work out and that you’d be happy about it..."

Oh no, his brother started to get upset again. Without wasting any more time, Daniel got ahold of the wooden spoon, pulled at the dirty apron Sean was wearing and threw both onto the kitchen counter.

"Look, let’s deal with this later. Tell you what, I’ll clean this all up by myself! You," he pushed Sean towards the table and gestured to the chair, "Sit here."

Sean didn’t look convinced, still half turned to the stove. "Hold up. What are you plotting?"

It was time for the poker face. You can do it, he encouraged himself. A little boost of confidence could go a long way. 

"Nothing, Sean. Now sit."

"Dude, I’m not a dog!"

"But I am." Maybe not, but he knew exactly how to look like one.

"Enano... Quit it with the puppy eyes. I’m not falling for it this time."

"Uh huh. Now sit and get rid of that worried look, I’m not going to bite your head off."

His brother gave in eventually, to no one’s surprise. "Okay, fine. But if you keep looking that smug, I’ll leave," Sean threw in weakly. 

"Alright, let’s get into it! Draw."

Sean sighed, "Daniel..."

"Shh, I wasn’t done! Remember _Mirror Erised_? Draw what you’d see. I’ll do it too and the one whose drawing is more creative wins."

They were seated across each other now, both with their own set of pencils.

"The loser has to do the laundry for a month. How does that sound, hmmm?" he added, hoping to lure Sean with this. He didn’t care if he’d win or not, getting a clue for his gift was all he cared about.

Sean pondered for a while before accepting the hand shake. "You better stick to it, then."

He snorted. "Excuse me? I would never cheat." 

His brother gave him The Look.

"Okay. I won’t cheat this time. I swear." Thankfully, that was enough to convince Sean. 

~~~ 

Half an hour later, they were both finished, none of them ready to present their drawings just yet. 

"Stop peeking!"

"You stop peeking."

"But I wasn’t even looking into your direction!"

"Best brother by day, worst liar by night." 

Daniel huffed, feigning hurt. Crossing his arms, he stood up so fast that his chair didn’t make the fall. Rest in peace, chair.

"Damn, enano. You’re energetic today."

"Whatever!" he shot back, turning away to stomp off upstairs, his drawing pressed tightly to his chest and the remaining pencils floating after him.

Sean was going to think he’s throwing one of his usual fits and forget about the drawing. That’s when he was going to switch to ninja mode and take a peek while his brother wasn’t looking. Et voilà, mission accomplished. Why didn’t he just ask Sean to show it to him, one might have wondered. That would have resulted into him having to show his in return. He wasn’t ready for the endless teasing. No, thanks. In conclusion, he was a genius. Chris would have agreed. 

As he made his dramatic departure, he missed the knowing expression on his brother’s face, the corners of his lips twitching up in sheer amusement. 

A couple of days passed. Their gift hunting had finally come to an end. They were both seated on the couch, their gifts in the other’s lap.

"Go on, unwrap it."

"You go first!" was Daniel’s immediate reply.

Sean nudged his leg. "Come on, bro. Older sibling privilege."

"No. You’re dumber than you look if you still think that’s going to work on me."

Sean gasped at that, backing away from him as if he’d just burned himself.

"That’s right, I stepped up my roasts while you weren’t looking."

Sean’s hand was clenching his chest now, acting just as dramatic as he himself had a few days ago. While he pulled it off effortlessly, his brother looked straight out ridiculous.

"Geez, enano, who taught you to be this sassy?"

"Definitely not you."

That earned him another shove, which would have sent him flying off the couch had it not been for his tight grip on his brother’s shirt.

"Okay, okay! I got it from Hannah. So what? She’s cool."

"Cooler than me?"

"Oh my god."

It was now Sean’s turn to cling onto him. That’s it, Sean wouldn’t let go until he gave his brother an answer. Any attempts to break free would be in vain, that much was clear. 

"You and your constant need for validation!" he huffed.

"You’re stalling, bro."

Sean’s fingers dug into his sides, but they didn’t move yet.

"Three...Two...."

"Stop! Okay, you’re— uhhhhhh, you’re the best! The best of the best! No one is better than you because you are better than them and—"

He was rambling. If he didn’t come up with something other than this nonsene, he was going to die.

"You’re talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender—"

Judging by the sudden intense tickling, his answer had failed to satisfy his brother. This had to be his punishment for the teasing. Either that or Sean just loved torturing him. 

He was a screaming mess, legs kicking in all directions as his giggles filled their living room.

"You had it coming— shit! You almost kicked me in the face!" 

Sean let him go then, thankfully having taken pity on him. Completely out of breath, Daniel slid off the couch like a sack of potatoes. He sure felt like one. Landing onto his knees, he held his stomach as his lungs filled with much needed air.

"You look like you ran a marathon."

Not bothering to move, he focused on a pile of books, making them fly past Sean’s head in an instant.

"Next time...I won’t...miss!" he managed to get out inbetween breaths.  
Could you believe his brother? Older sibling privilege, the idiot had said. Unbelievable. 

Finally having recovered, he got up from the floor and pointed at the traitor.

"You asked me, no, you begged me to compliment you. I do as I’m told, maybe tease you a bit in the process, and what do you do? Sean, you suck!"

Sean’s face fell as he realized how worked up he had gotten. Good.

"Hey..."

His brother stretched out a hand to pull him onto the couch again, the gesture backfiring with him walking away even further. Sean seemed to realize that he had gone too far.

"I’m sorry, man. I thought you were enjoying it because you were laughing."

Daniel only kept quiet. He couldn’t help the annoyance bubbling in his stomach. 

Sean got up then, wanting to close the distance between them. "I’m really sorry, Daniel. Come one, don’t stay mad." 

Nope. He wasn’t going to yield. Not yet, he decided as he turned his back to his brother. He knew he was throwing a fit, but he didn’t care. This time, it wasn’t for show. 

"Enano."

Suddenly, Daniel’s feet left the ground as his brother picked him up, in hopes it would cheer him up. He kept squirming in Sean’s hold, but that only made his brother tighten his grip further. That’s just great, Daniel thought. 

So he let it happen until they were seated in their respective spots again. He stole a glance at Sean who just sat there, looking disappointed in himself.  
Okay, maybe he was already done being mad. 

He gave Sean’s gift a slight push, gesturing for his brother to unpack. That put the smile back on Sean’s face. Daniel moved closer then, waiting in anticipation as his brother tore off the wrapping. 

His earlier annoyance completely forgotten, he now watched Sean inspect the book. What was going on in his brother’s head? He got impatient and started shaking his legs. It was a habit to calm his nerves. 

"So... What do you think? Is it how you imagined it?"

He hated the insecurity in his voice, it gave away just how nervous he was about the whole thing.  
Yet Sean didn’t let that stop him, fingers lingering on the countless dots and entangled lines before continuing, each page telling a different part of a story. Of their story.

"Daniel...this is.."

Finally looking up, Daniel could see the the bright smile adorning Sean’s face. His brother leaned forward to embrace him.

"You like it?" came the muffled question.

"I love it." 

Daniel felt relief wash over him as he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Sean pulled away, gripping his shoulders to look at him with an awed expression.

"You’re awesome, dude! I didn’t know you could draw so well! You kept that secret from me? I’d be hurt if I wasn’t so touched."

Scratching the back of his head, Daniel tried not to feel too embarrassed by his brother’s gushing.

"Uhm...Well. I may or may not have taken a quick peek at your drawing, you know, the one we did as a competition... And you drew me as an artist so I thought you’d—" 

"Hold up," Sean sat up, realization dawning on him, "You did what?" 

Scared that he’d upset his brother, he rushed to explain, "I didn’t mean any harm! I just wanted to know what it is that you want and I wanted to make sure you’d be happy about it and not just pretend for my sake—"

"Daniel."

"And I didn’t have any bad intentions even if I lied about it being a competition and—"

"Enano, you’re rambling. Look at me."

He did as he was told, surprised to see Sean smiling at him. He wasn’t mad?

"I’m not mad."

Oh.

His dumbfounded look prompted Sean to ruffle his hair, leaving it in a mess of strands pointing at every direction. He would have complained if it hadn’t been for the fondness in his brother’s eyes.

Okay, so he wasn’t in trouble. Phew.

"You know I love the things you create. The space ship... back in my old room. The zombie mask that I wish I would have taken a closer look at, the one you dropped in the forest, remember? The drawing of me in a cape you gave me right before we hopped onto that train. The sculptures back in Away. Now this sketchbook."

Daniel glanced at it as Sean’s fingers brushed over his drawings once again. The page that was currently open showed two wolves, the little one burying his face into the other’s neck. They looked safe in each other’s embrace.

"That’s us," Daniel let out in a small voice. Why was he being so shy about it? It was just a drawing.

"I can tell what you had in mind," Sean mused.  
"But next time you want to cuddle, just tell me."

Daniel only nudged his brother with his knee, trying his best to maintain a neutral face.

"You’re creative, enano. You’d make a great artist. But," closing the sketchbook, Sean drew nearer, "you misunderstood. My wish isn’t for you to become an artist."

Daniel paled at that.

"Huh? But...but you drew me with pencils! I was drawing, wasn’t I?"

"I simply drew you, bro. You just happened to be drawing in that moment. Sorry you got confused. In my defense, I had no clue you were plotting all of this. Besides, your gift turned out great, didn’t it?"

Another round of ruffling his hair later, Daniel was ready to open his gift. Compared to how jittery he had felt, Sean watched him rather calmly.

"You’re confident I’ll like it, aren’t you?"

"Of course you will."

Unconvinced but still curious, he tore off the wrapping to reveal something round with a smooth surface. He stared at it for what felt like minutes before looking up.

"A mirror..?"

Now, he wasn’t spoiled nor greedy, yet a mirror wasn’t really what he had expected to get from Sean. Before he could muster up a somewhat polite response, his brother spoke up, "I guess this would be a good time to admit that I saw your drawing. Now before you accuse me of snooping, I wasn’t. I was cleaning up the mess in our room when I came across the sheet of paper tucked inbetween your books and I just couldn’t resist. Your drawing doesn’t suck, there is no need to look like your soul is about to leave your body. Whether you put days or just half an hour into it, they all turned out well. I mean it." 

Daniel still couldn’t follow. "But I drew you. Not a mirror. Why did you give me this?" he questioned, feeling lost. Was he missing something? Or was he having a dense moment? 

"You’re being really dense right now, enano."

"Dude, since when can you read minds?"

Sean chuckled at that, fingers dangerously close to his sides again. Daniel grabbed them immediately, not letting go until his brother explained himself.

"Read minds? That I can’t do. But I can read yours. It’s something only cool older brothers can do."

Daniel sighed dramatically, holding the bridge of his nose. "There you go again. I get it, Sean. You worship yourself and want me to do the same. While we’re at it, let me know where you want your shrine to stand so I can start prepari— stop tickling me!" he yelped.

He must have let go of Sean’s hands at some point which were now digging themselves into his stomach. That’s what he got for getting too absorbed in his own rant. 

Determined to avenge himself, he grabbed the pillow next to him for additional weight and threw himself onto his attacker. Not feeling a single shred of guilt, he used his power to keep himself in place. Sean kept flapping with his arms, trying to push him off.

"That’s all you got? You disappoint me, Sean!"

He intended to tease his brother for a bit longer before he’d let him go.

"Dude, stop! Hey... Get off of me!

The tense tone startled him and he got off of his brother immediately. Sean had gone still. Why wasn’t he saying anything? That was odd. Sean wasn’t one to give up that easily.

"Hey... What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Something obviously is."

"I’m okay, Daniel."

"You don’t look—"

"I was just reminded of something...upsetting. You wouldn’t remember. But I’m okay."

Sean gazed at the bruise on Daniel’s shoulder. "We’re okay."

It finally dawned on him. The wall. It had been a year since the incident. Time went on, yet the stubborn memories kept their tight grip on his brother. He had been unconscious at that time which made it hard for him to relate. That really brothered him. They were supposed to be in this together, after all.

"I’m sorry, Sean, I didn’t mean to do that! I’m really sorry..."

"I’m not mad, enano. It’s...over. We were just goofing around. Plus, you got back at me for tickling you too hard. We’re even now."

"But I wasn’t trying to make you feel—"

"I know," Sean reassured him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, in hopes of having a chance at helping his brother. He didn’t know how but he still had to try.

"I’m fine, bro. Perhaps another time. Besides, let’s not ruin this day with heavy topics. So, back to your gift."

He wasn’t so sure about the _I’m fine_ part, but his brother was clearly trying to lighten the mood and he didn’t have the heart to deny him that.

Not wanting to frustrate Sean any further, he let it go and picked up the abandoned mirror instead.

"So... You still haven’t told me why you chose this as my gift."

Sean perked up at that, grateful for the change of topic. Daniel felt himself relax again.

"Right! So as I was saying, I looked at your drawing of me with that huge smile drawn on my face. The barely erased words didn’t go unnoticed, by the way."

He knew exactly what Sean was referring to, yet he feigned ignorance. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Oh really? _Something to keep that smile on his face forev—_ "

"Okay! That still doesn’t explain the mirror!"

Amused by his flustered state, Sean got up, walked around the couch and came to a halt behind him. Leaning over, his brother adjusted his grip on the mirror so that it was showing them both.

"Watch closely."

Sean readjusted it, now only Daniel’s own puzzled face reflecting.

As his brother rested his head onto his shoulder, he continued to explain, "I don’t need _something_ to keep me happy. Why, when I already have _someone_ who does it on a daily basis? This mirror, much like the one in the movie, is the answer to your question. I’m guaranteed to feel happiness, no matter what, as long as I got my source of it with me."

Daniel couldn’t hold back his doubts this time.  
"Even though I’m cursed with this power? Even after all the damage I’ve caused?"

"Yes," his brother stated firmly. "What happened back in Seattle wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t. I don’t want you to feel guilty about it, ever. Besides, I wouldn’t change a single thing about you. Too loud? Too confident? Too reckless? Too bratty? Whatever it is, you’re not _too_ much. You’re the right amount of everything."

"What I’m trying to say is: Just be _you,_ enano. That’s all I’m asking for, okay?" 

Seconds passed in complete silence. That turned into what felt like an eternity as Daniel struggled to form a coherent sentence. He felt light headed. To say he was touched would be the century’s understatement. Still looking at his reflection, he realized belatedly that his mouth stood open. He closed it quickly, the sound amusing Sean. His brother’s laugh was extremely contagious and soon they were both doubling over. 

When they had finally calmed down, Daniel was the first one to speak up, "That was such a long and roundabout way of saying _I love you_."

"But you liked it, didn’t you?"

"Yeah, okay. It was smooth. But so extra."

"Extra? You haven’t seen your second gift yet."

"There is a _second gift_?"

"While this mirror holds a sentimental value, I couldn’t just leave it at that. Here."

His second gift turned out to be the latest Minecraft diaries, his latest obsession. Miguel from next door had been talking about them for weeks. Sean had gotten extra copies in exchange of drawing the younger with his beloved guitar. To Sean’s luck, Miguel had been all over the drawing, his uncontained excitement visible in his every gesture. It had been a fair deal. 

Daniel was still admiring the books in his hands, careful not to damage any pages as he browsed through them.

"But... I thought they were sold out! How?"

Sean chuckled at that, nudging him with his shoulder.  
"You got _me_ as your super cool big brother and you still wonder how?"

Daniel put down his gifts and turned around. Moving to kneel on the couch, he faced his brother.

"Me too," he mumbled.

Sean only stared at him, eyebrows raised in confusion. 

Daniel reached out then, pulling the source of his own happiness into a warm embrace. 

"I love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sigh. Good ol’ brotherly bonding.
> 
> If you spotted any mistakes, feel free to point them out and I‘ll fix them! 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading and until next time.


	3. You are my anchor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He threatened to drown again, struggling to withstand the violent waves of his guilt. The events back in Haven Point had scarred him deeply.
> 
> Good thing Sean was there to anchor him.
> 
> Or:  
> Unseen cutscenes of Daniel's nightmare and his brother's ability to calm him in his sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter’s title was inspired by the song called 'Anchor' by Skillet.  
> ________________________________

"Let's go, Daniel."

"Sean.." 

_Don't leave me here. Don't leave me with her._

"Daniel has made his choice, Sean. He doesn't want you here." 

_Stop._

"You're not his family anymore." 

_Let it stop. Please._

"Sean betrayed you." 

_I'm the one who betrayed him._

Lisbeth's grip on him tightened then, her sharp nails digging into his skin like poison. 

"He tossed you aside just like that woman did. I'm the one who took you in! That's what a real mother does. We're family, Daniel." 

_I'm the one who gave up on him._

_I let him down._

Daniel knew this nightmare, it's been haunting him ever since they left Haven Point. He knew exactly how this was going to play out. Yet he couldn't do anything about it. He was forced to relive this scenario, over and over again. 

_I can't watch this anymore._

Dreading what was to come, he shut his eyes in an attempt to get the devastating sight of his brother out of his head. He couldn't help it, he couldn’t watch. Whenever he'd try to do something differently, his body betrayed him. All attempts were in vain. It's as if he wasn't in control over his own body anymore. 

Yet here he was, pleading to himself to use his power. 

His throat closed up, refusing to make this living hell more bearable for him. The suffocating fire was nothing compared to Lisbeth's ear shattering scream. The smoke clouded his mind and made it near impossible for him to think. He knew he needed to break free of this hell. He had to.

Before it was too late.

The faint sirens in the distance started drawing closer and made Daniel wince. He wanted to cover his ears. He wanted to shield himself from the crushing weight of Lisbeth's grasp but he couldnt move and remained stuck to the ground. The sirens were roaring in his head repeatedly now, mocking his petrified state. 

Sean was just a couple of steps away, holding out a wounded hand. His brother was bleeding. Burn marks were scattered all over his skin and the flames threatened to embrace him.

Just looking at Sean was painful. 

Sean didn't care in the slightest, though, and kept approaching him. 

He was so close. So, so dangerously close.

_Don't get closer._

_I'm begging you._

"Enano."

"Please just go!“ he choked out. He was close to crying, tears stinging his eyes like a thousand needles.  
Sean needed to get away. Why was he so ready to throw himself into the fire for him? He wasn't worth this much, his guilt screamed at him. He wasn't.

_Not after I let you down._

The building started falling apart. Despite his blurred vision, he could make out where his brother stood. He knew he didn't have much time, he needed to do something before it was too late. 

Suddenly, Lisbeth released him and dropped to the gound in an almost comical manner. Daniel flinched and turned around in shock, only to be met with her piercing gaze. Her terrifying eyes stared up at him, knocking every bit of oxygen out of him.

She remained unmoving.

He didn't have the time to freak out. So he stumbled forward, weakly raising his arms to push his brother out of the way. That only urged Sean to limp closer, ready to throw his arms around him. 

Oh, how he yearned for his brother's embrace. 

_I can't let this happen again._

Sean was pulling at him now.

"No, just go! Get out of here!“

"I'm not leaving you behind, Daniel."

_He won't listen to me. This can't be happening._

_Not again._

Daniel started wailing. He was so exhausted, his head throbbed and the lack of oxygen left him dizzy. Everything around him was spinning at full speed, mocking him only further. Everything was falling apart. 

Everything except for Sean. 

_Sean._

There his brother stood, never taking his eyes off him. His determination shielded them both like an armor.

Not once did he give in to his fear. Not once did he consider defeat. 

_Not once did he give up on me._

_Unlike me._

"Daniel."

He was met with his brother's reassuring smile then, the intensity of it silencing his guilt. He'd never forget the look in his eyes. So loving. So hopeful and bright. 

_So safe._

His subconscious, as cruel as it was, knew his weakness and used it against him mercilessly.  
He's relived this nightmare a thousand times already. Yet he fell for the same old trick. 

Deep down, Daniel knew he'd fall for it a thousand times more. 

His body still refused to listen to him and he felt himself collapse. Sean caught him immediately and kept him upright. 

"It's okay. We're together again."

Daniel wanted to believe him. Nothing felt easier in that moment.

_We're safe._

The footsteps approaching them snapped him out of his dazed state and he started panicking.  
Not wanting to waste any more time, he grabbed Sean's arms roughly and struggled to push his brother out of harm's way.

Sean didn't budge, though. 

_No._

_No, no, no, this isn't happening._

"Sean!"

"I knew you'd come back to m—"

A deafening shot interrupted them. 

Horrified, Daniel cried out, ignoring the loud ringing in his ears. He was desperate to do something.

Anything. 

_Get up._

_Please, just get up!_

He clung to his brother as tightly as he could, scared that he'd slip away from him any moment now.

 _Don't go._

_Don't leave me._

Sean only choked. The burning red liquid coming out of his mouth swallowed his words.

There was blood everywhere.

When it dripped down on his brother's favorite hoodie, he tried to wipe it away.

To no avail. It was already drenched.

The smell of Lisbeth’s burning skin and Sean's blood on his hands made his stomach twist. He was going to be sick. But he couldn’t move.

Only when Sean turned icy cold did he recoil.

Before he knew it, he was back to the real world. Cold sweat stuck to his back and turned him into a shivering mess. He wasn't in a burning building anymore. No dying brother in sight, either. 

Calming his breathing was a challenge. He was going to suffocate if he didn't try, though.

In his panicked state, he almost didn't notice the sleeping boy next to him. Sean was pressed closely against him, as if in fear that he would turn into thin air and disappear. 

He stayed like that for a while and listened to Sean's steady breathing. The image of his brother's bleeding state amidst the burning flames was still fresh in his mind, haunting him, refusing to loosen its suffocating grip. 

At least he hadn’t been loud enough to wake Sean up. He sure needed the sleep, considering how late his brother had stayed up the day before. Daniel knew what else he could do, though. 

Focusing on the steadying arm holding him in place, he drew closer and buried his face into his brother's neck. Slowly but surely, he felt himself relax again. 

Sean was here. He was going to be okay. 

It didn't matter how violently the waves of his panic hit him. It all didn’t matter. 

Because Sean was here to anchor him. He was safe. 

His brother was right, after all. There was nothing the wolf brothers couldn't do.

As long as they were together.


	4. A Moment Of Calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy belated anniversary! It’s been another year, wow! I didn’t have time to come up with something special but when I saw this shot of Sean, I felt inspired and had to write something small about our wolf cubs running around in the forest and sharing this moment of calm with each other. 
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/CFrs1tejoeJ/?igshid=bc0omfmekfmq
> 
> It ends as we, the player, move Sean away from it, unknowing of what’s yet to come and still in denial of the gravity of their situation. 
> 
> Or: Unseen cutscenes of their peaceful time in the forest. Set in episode 1.  
> ________________________________

Daniel is running after his brother in a desperate attempt to keep up. He is a track star, Daniel knows that, but would it kill Sean to be more mindful of him and his shorter legs?

He’s about to go on a rant when he suddenly crashes into said track star and loses balance. He failed to notice Sean has stopped and now he’s about to fall face first into the dirt. Great. 

The awaited fall never comes, though, as two arms catch him just in time. His brother holds him upright and only lets go when he has regained his balance. As Daniel looks up at him, he notes that his brother is still not looking his way, instead focusing on something in the distance. 

"Hey, why did we stop?" he tries to get the other’s attention. When he’s greeted with silence, he feels confusion bubble in his stomach. Sean has been acting extremely strange lately, hasn’t he? 

Then, Daniel notices it too. His brother’s face is practically glowing. Wait, how?

As Daniel follows his gaze, a beautiful sunset greets them both in its brightest yellows, oranges and pinks. It’s as if the forest is welcoming them, his earlier fears of wild animals with big teeth and sharp claws completely forgotten. 

"Wow... Look at that! Dad would love this!" he shouts, unable to hide his excitement. He can hear Sean’s earlier words echo in his mind, about how his brother never thought a view similar to this would get him this excited. So what? He’s full of surprises. 

Sean starts to move again. "Come on, bro." 

Daniel, however, is still caught up in the view and misses the way his brother’s eyes are filled with unshed tears.

After a beat of silence, Sean tries again. 

"First one to find us a camp for the night gets to eat the Chock-O-Crisp." That snaps him out of it immediately and he points at his brother accusingly. 

"But you promised I can have it!" 

Sean only chuckles in return. Not wanting to fall behind, Daniel gets moving too.

 _He’ll let me have it anyway_ , he thinks to himself and doesn’t bother to hide his victorious smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos! You can come scream at me (gently) about the brothers on twitter if you want. The name is the same as here. See you!


End file.
